Chapter 278 Maid Liu Qing
The maid was filled with gratitude when she saw that Chu Ci did not pursue her.
She immediately bowed respectfully and sincerely to Chu Ci, tears glistening in her eyes, and said, "The princess's teachings are deeply engraved in my mind, and I will strictly discipline myself in the future."
"From now on, I will be careful with my words and thoughts, and take the county lord's teachings as my guide. I will never repeat the same mistakes. I will serve my young lady more attentively and not cause trouble for the county lord."
This maid is quite interesting.
Chu Ci smiled slightly, with a hint of admiration in his eyes, and said softly, "You were able to correct your mistakes this time, which shows that you have a pure and kind character."
"Since you intend to serve your young lady even more attentively in the future, I might as well tell you that the Royal Girls' Academy also offers non-teaching positions. These include tasks like managing housework and assisting with event planning. With your cleverness, if you can pass the exam for one, it might be beneficial to both you and your young lady. Why not give it a try?"
The maid was sincerely grateful to Chu Ci. She didn't expect that such a great thing would happen to her.
She opened her mouth, but found that her throat seemed to be blocked by something. Now it was her turn to be so excited that she couldn't speak.
Li Min was the first to react. Her clear eyes fixed on Chu Ci, and with a hint of doubt and uncertainty, she asked in a trembling voice, "Really? You don't have to take special care of me, I..."
After hearing what Li Min said, her maid calmed down.
The maid lowered her head slightly and looked at Chu Ci cautiously, with a hint of surprise and expectation in her eyes.
However, perhaps because she still had some concerns in her heart, or perhaps because she didn't know how to respond, the maid pursed her lips, but ultimately did not say no.
Seeing that the maid didn't refuse, Chu Ci slowly spoke, "Does Miss Li think that I am the kind of person who likes to associate with powerful people? I am attracted to her because I can see her intelligence and potential from her words and actions."
Then, Chu Ci turned his gaze to the maid and asked softly, "What's your name?"
"My name is Liu Qing." Liu Qing quickly and respectfully gave her name.
"This princess has taken a liking to Liu Qing, so she certainly has her value. However, I must also make one point clear: to take the exam, you must be a commoner. Miss Li, would you be willing to restore Liu Qing's freedom?"
"Yes, yes." Li Min's face was filled with joy. She was genuinely happy for Liu Qing. She quickly agreed and immediately turned to Liu Qing and said anxiously, "Quick, take out your indenture."
However, seeing how excited they were, Chu Ci immediately tried to appease them, saying, "Don't be so anxious. It will be the same after the exam. Let Liu Qing focus on preparing for the exam first, and don't let this distract him."
Chu Ci finished speaking, then slowly turned his gaze towards the female officials who had just been sent over. With a serious expression and a solemn tone, he said, "Everyone, is there any problem with the arrangement of this matter? This princess hopes that everything will be carried out in accordance with the rules and regulations, in a fair and just manner, without the slightest negligence or favoritism."
One of the female officials stepped forward, bowed slightly, and replied respectfully, "Don't worry, Princess. We will judge impartially and will not show any partiality."
Chu Ci nodded slightly and said with a smile: "Okay, let's get started!"
After saying this, Chu Ci gracefully gestured to the onlookers outside, inviting them in. His voice was clear and resonant: "Everyone, are you interested in being a witness for today's exam? This will ensure that this exam is more fair and transparent under everyone's supervision."
Those who could watch the excitement at Fan Mansion were all officials from nearby families.
They just wanted to have some fun and treat it as a pastime after dinner.
Unexpectedly, Chu Ci seized the opportunity and made them a pretext to fundamentally prevent anyone from using this incident to attack her or the Fan family in the future.
But if you don't go in, the female officials sent out from the palace are not vegetarians.
Of course, there are some people who think quickly. Since Li Min from the eldest princess's family can take the examination to become a female official, and Li Min's maid can take the examination to become a job, then can they also get such an opportunity for their own daughters or maids?
With this thought in mind, they who were originally still hesitating and waiting seemed to be suddenly enlightened. The flame of hope ignited in their hearts, and their pace unconsciously quickened. They couldn't wait to participate and see if they could gain some benefits for themselves.
Little did they know that this was also a move by Chu Ci.
She had long anticipated that everyone would have such thoughts, and deliberately threw out such bait to lure them into the game.
After all, in this imperial society, especially in the capital where the powerful and influential gather, the saying "leaders lead by example" is not just talk.
Only by fully mobilizing these officials and their families and letting them actively participate in it, will the people below follow suit.
In less than a day, news of Li Min's examination at Fan Mansion spread throughout the capital.
Look, the most prosperous teahouse in the capital is packed with people.
The storyteller was speaking with great enthusiasm: "Dear guests, today we are going to talk about the rare event of the Imperial Women's College recruiting female officials!"
He was seen holding a folding fan, shaking his head, "Speaking of which, although Princess Yixin had a rough life, she was truly concerned about the country and the people. That's why upon returning to the capital, the Emperor entrusted Princess Yixin with the task of organizing the 'Imperial Women's College'. Princess Yixin has lived up to the Emperor's expectations and has done her best!"
At this point, the gentleman hadn't finished speaking when someone in the audience started to get impatient. A wealthy young man dressed in brocade clothes shouted, "We all know all this, but tell me something we don't know—"
As soon as this was said, many people echoed: "Right, right, tell us something we don't know. We just want to hear about the latest happenings in the exam room!"
For a moment, the teahouse was filled with noise.
The storyteller, naturally, couldn't resist the crowd. He coughed twice, clearing his throat, and continued, "It's said that the examination hall was decorated in a solemn and dignified manner. Guards stood at the entrance, brocade curtains hung all around, and the desks were fully equipped with pens, inkstones, and paper. When Miss Li Min entered, her expression was both nervous and determined..."
However, when the gentleman was halfway through his words, the young man interrupted him impatiently.
"Don't talk about useless things. The one in the Princess's Mansion is now a seventh-rank female official. I'm afraid everyone in the capital knows this."
"I just want to know how that maid, Liu Qing, is doing now?" The young man was seen tapping the table with the folding fan in his hand as he spoke, his face full of anxiety and curiosity.
The people around also responded: "Yes, yes, tell me about Liu Qing's situation."
For a moment, everyone's eyes were focused on the storyteller, waiting for him to give an answer.
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